The Beatles’ release of “Now and Then” after almost 30 years without a single caused quite a stir in the music world. The song was promoted as the final song by the Beatles and became a global hit. The band’s drummer decided to respond to the allegations of using artificial intelligence in the song.
Controversy arose when speculation suggested that artificial intelligence may have been used to recreate the late John Lennon’s vocals, drawing the ire of Ringo Starr, the group’s drummer.
Rumors have it that Paul McCartney reportedly used artificial intelligence to isolate Lennon’s voice from the original recording on which “No and Then” was based, so as not to fabricate it. It was later explained that the song had been composed and performed by Lennon in the past, with McCartney completing his late friend’s unfinished work. It was also explained that the song was released after such a long break because it was only in recent years that a patent had been invented that made it possible to isolate the recording of Lennon’s voice from the piano part so that other musicians could add instruments to it.
Starr sought to settle the dispute in an interview with AARP, in which he spoke out against those who fueled the rumors, defending that neither Paul McCartney nor he used artificial intelligence to recreate Lennon’s voice.
– There were terrible rumors that it wasn’t John but artificial intelligence, nonsense. Paul and I wouldn’t have done that. It’s a beautiful song and a nice way to finally close that door. – said Ringo.
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